SAA seeks leadership

With much of their leadership set to graduate, the Student Athletic Association (SAA) is looking for new blood.

“With so many of us graduating, it would be pretty hard right now to just leave it with who we have,” SAA President Wade Merrill said. “We have one or two people with some experience, but it would be way too much work.”

Merrill, who created SAA, is planning to graduate at the end of this year along with Vice President Jordan Climie and Secretary Shawntae Harris. “I think all of us agree that it’s essential to turn over the leadership of athletics on campus to a new group of students,” Merrill said. “We are all really excited about what the SAA has become and the way club sports have grown on campus.”

Merril said he sees SAA’s mission is to help students connect with sports they want to play as well as help promote current teams and form new ones. Harris had an even bigger vision.

“I always imagined that SAA would eventually be for club sports what Student Government is for student organizations, and what Greek Council is for Greek organizations,” Harris said. “(SAA could) potentially be some sort of governing body, handle allocations for club sports teams and continue to help student athletes join and form teams.”

The amount of club sports has grown exponentially since SAA formed in 2007. At that time, students had two choices – Hockey and Ultimate – and now there are 11 options, according to Merrill. The list may expand shortly if the Basketball Club gets recognized, he said.

“A lot of students don’t necessarily know the steps they need to take to start a club sport, or even to join an existing club sport,” Harris said. “Having a group like SAA that has all the resources student athletes (and potential student athletes) need is really important, especially since there has been a lot of confusion and changes.”

Despite the expansion during his tenure, Merrill feels his work is not done.

“I think we all know that without getting some new blood involved and giving them a chance to get some experience before we go that we won’t really have done our jobs in terms of making sure it’s sustainable in the future,” Merrill said.

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